A Dunedin man attacked his partner and ripped a family-harm alarm from the wall during his rampage, a court has heard.<\/p>\n
Daniel Robert Sinclair, 42, appeared in the Dunedin District Court last week after admitting a slew of charges across two incidents.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the defendant\u2019s partner said the family had been \u2018\u2018walking on eggshells\u2019\u2019 around the man because of his erratic behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018She speaks of fear, frustration, stress, exhaustion, and ultimately that\u2019s down to you,\u2019\u2019 Judge David Robinson told Sinclair.<\/p>\n
He and the victim argued on November 3, resulting in him cornering her in the kitchen.<\/p>\n
When she pushed the family-harm alarm, which immediately alerted police to her plight, the defendant pulled it out of the wall and smashed it on the floor.<\/p>\n
Sinclair\u2019s young son intervened and he pushed the boy out of the way, causing him to hit his head on a cupboard.<\/p>\n
After being forced to the floor, his partner escaped to a side room to call police.<\/p>\n
Once Sinclair became aware of the call, he took the phone and slammed it down, smashing the screen, the court heard.<\/p>\n
Charges were laid and the defendant was granted bail on strict conditions he refrain from contact with his partner.<\/p>\n
A month after the first incident, however, he was back at the victim\u2019s home and another argument erupted.<\/p>\n
Sinclair made overt threats of violence and police arrived as the woman was loading the children into the car to make their escape.<\/p>\n
When the defendant was told he would be placed under arrest, he was immediately defiant.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018F … this,\u2019\u2019 Sinclair said as he walked towards the door.<\/p>\n
Officers at the scene wrestled the defendant to the floor but he refused to allow his hands to be cuffed, hiding them under his body.<\/p>\n
A second police unit arrived to force his compliance.<\/p>\n
As a constable tried to drag Sinclair\u2019s arms out, the man bit him on the wrist.<\/p>\n
The court heard the chomp was so forceful it broke the skin, and the officer later needed a course of antibiotics when the wound became infected.<\/p>\n
Sinclair explained he \u2018\u2018snapped\u2019\u2019 because of his PTSD.<\/p>\n
Judge Robinson said the defendant had acknowledged some of the blame but raised substance abuse and other issues which had contributed to his state.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018You need to accept full responsibility for what you did,\u2019\u2019 the judge said.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018Regardless of your background, you made a series of decisions to put your family in harm\u2019s way.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
The court heard there had been domestic-violence callouts to the family home since 2023.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018I get really worried, really concerned for victims, when I see family harm alarms damaged and phones broken,\u2019\u2019 Judge Robinson said.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2018That\u2019s to stop them being able to call for help. That\u2019s actions deliberately by you to keep them vulnerable and keep them under your control.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Sinclair was jailed for seven months but his release would be imminent because of the time he had spent in custody.<\/p>\n
A protection order was issued in favour of his partner.<\/p>\n